"We have to be aware that there are sex consumers who fuel the demand," says Kate Quinn, executive director of the Prostitute Awareness and Action Foundation of Edmonton (PAAFE).

Those consumers are the main problem organizations like Action Coalition on human Trafficking (ACT) and PAAFE are dealing with.

"We have to realize that it's the demand side that we have to tackle, and educate men that there are healthier ways to deal with their sexuality than to consume people," says Quinn. "One man (a john) went to a massage parlour and he thought that the woman was looking unhappy, so he traded her in. And when asked did you ever think about why she might be unhappy he said, 'No, I never thought about it.' And so, he just thought that she was there for him to buy."

As part of Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week, about a handful of locals heard Tuesday the heart-wrenching truth about human trafficking, and what needs to be done to eliminate the despicable market.

The United Nations says that worldwide, human trafficking nets close to $45.5 billion, with more than 12.3 million men, woman and children being forced into sex and labour markets. Of those victims, 80% are female and roughly 50% are children.

Most recently, Edmonton was home to what was touted as Western Canada's first human trafficking case. Three people were charged with human trafficking, unlawful confinement and living on the avails of prostitution after police raided a west-end massage parlour, where three immigrant women were allegedly being held and forced to perform sexual acts.

However, the case fell through due to "significant witness issues," said prosecutors, and the trio admitted to a lesser charged of keeping a common bawdy house.

Quinn says human trafficking and sexual exploitation cases are more difficult to prosecute in Canada because the burden of proof falls on the victims, who are usually too terrified to speak up.

Alberta has taken steps to increase prosecution of sexual exploitation involving children. In 1999, the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act (PSECA) was enacted, making it possible to apprehend children involved in prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation. Alberta is the only province in Canada with this type of legislation.

"We have one member that is totally dedicated to PSECA," says Edmonton police Staff Sgt. John Fiorilli. "Last year he was involved with nine apprehensions in about seven months."

Fiorilli says city police started proactively tracking human trafficking cases in 2009, and although numbers are up, it's hard to say whether or not things are getting worse in the city.

Fiorilli, along with a former human trafficking victim, will hold a public information session Wednesday night, to inform university and grade school students about the ways traffickers recruit victims.

"You may be courted, or a person who is buying you a lot of drinks. It may not have the kind of outcome you think it will," he says. "It's one of the three evils that creates money for organized crime. Sex, drugs and guns."